Technology

Google is finally letting the sun go down on Manifest V2 as it switches to V3, meaning that many apps reliant on V2 will no longer work - including one of the most popular ad blockers, uBlock Origin.

Manifest is part of the Google Chrome browser that governs how browser extensions function, as well as the permissions they are granted. The V3 version of Manifest is not as liberal with its permission grants, rendering many ad blockers and other extensions effectively useless.

Ad blockers have grown in popularity for users looking to speed up the performance of their browsing experience, reduce the amount of data websites collect on them, or simply get rid of clutter displayed on articles. Unfortunately, Chrome generates a hefty sum through advertising which is undercut by ad blockers.

Grin and bear it or time to switch?

uBlock Origin Lite, a barebones version of the main version, will still work with Manifest V3 but will not block every single ad. Those looking to continue using uBlock Origin may want to consider using a different web browser.

Google says the move to V3 brings additional benefits such as more capabilities, new APIs, and enhanced security.

“Manifest V3 removes the ability for an extension to use remotely hosted code, which presents security risks by allowing unreviewed code to be executed in extensions. With this change, an extension can only execute JavaScript that is included within its package and subject to review by the Chrome Web Store,” the Manifest V3 page states.

It is important to note that Manifest V3 is a change to the Chromium engine, but so far only Chrome has removed the ability to use V2, with Microsoft Edge and Opera continuing to offer V2 support with no confirmed dates for a V2 switch off.

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Blizzard Entertainment and iam8bit have announced a Diablo 4 vinyl soundtrack release.

Pre-orders for the Diablo IV 4xLP box set are now live at the iam8bit official online store and will set you back $100 (around £77).

The four LPs will feature the iconic music from the game from Leo Kaliski, Ted Reedy, Ryan Amon, and Derek Duke. The discs included showcase designs that pay homage to some of the game's classes and named have colors named after classic moves: Grizzly Rage Gold, Grim Harvest Green, Frost Nova Blue, & Rapture Red.

Artist Ryan Brinkerhoff has crafted the album art, celebrating Diablo 4's fighters, with each sleeve paying tribute to a different class’s strength and iconography. The entire set is wrapped up in a gorgeous outer album box.

In addition to four LPs, the box set will also feature an exclusive code for an in-game Mount Trophy that can be redeemed via Battle.net and can be used by all classes.

"Getting around Sanctuary’s no easy task, but it’s a hell of a lot better when you’re looking your best - and nothing’s swankier than a precious ornament for your ride," iam8bit teases. "Whether you’re playing co-op with a friend or fighting online foes, you’ll be able to show off your devotion in style.

The exclusive Diablo IV 4xLP is expected to ship in Q2 2025, meaning buyers should expect their pre-orders to arrive between April and June next year.

Diablo IV launched last year for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. TechRadar Gaming rated the game five out of five stars, with writer Cat Bussell calling it a " meticulously crafted action RPG" that "sets a new standard for isometric, open-world adventures."

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Arcane season 2 continues to deliver exciting new teasers and the latest from Netflix was set to a new song, which is enough to get anyone pumped for upcoming scenes when it arrives on the best streaming service in November.

We were already very excited about the Arcane season 2 soundtrack with our senior entertainment reporter Tom Power suggesting it would hit the number one spot on his Spotify Wrapped this year. And I'm inclined to agree, considering the epic new track they've just debuted.

Check out the Come Play trailer for one of the best Netflix shows below, featuring the titular track by Stray Kids, Young Miko, and Tom Morello. Yes, you will want to listen to it on repeat. No judgement from me!

What do we know about Arcane season 2 so far?

Arcane fans have been eating well recently as Netflix has done a lot to promote the upcoming season, with plenty of teasers and clips to get us excited for what's to come. We also know that Arcane season 2 is the final season so it's been a short and not always sweet journey for the League of Legends series.

In an interview with TechRadar, star Ella Purnell (who plays Jinx) teased that season 2 "will emotionally devastate fans", so it sounds like we've got a big storm coming. You might want to stock up on tissues before the series debuts, as it sounds like it'll pull some big emotional punches.

Plot wise, we know that there'll be an even greater focus on Jinx and Vi's relationship as the latter tries to stop her sister from leading a revolution, and if Purnell's comment is anything to go by we know it's not going to be an easy watch. All will be revealed next month and we can hardly wait.

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A company was hacked after hiring a fake IT professional from North Korea. It has not been clarified whether this was a deliberate cyberattack against the organization, a disgruntled former employee, or a “simple” scam.

The company, which was not named, operates either in the US, UK, or Australia. It sought to add an IT professional to the team, and tapped into the global talent pool. There, it found a suitable candidate, who obviously went through the hiring process and got the job.

The person that was hired, however, faked their entire identity, including knowledge and previous experience. After being hired, the scammer accessed the company’s infrastructure and downloaded as much sensitive information as they could.

Simple scam, or something more?

The miscreant worked for four months with the company, before allegedly being fired for poor performance. After that happened, the crook threatened to release all of the stolen data on the internet, or sell it to the highest bidder. He demanded a six-figure ransom in exchange for keeping the data private.

According to the BBC, it is not known whether the company paid the ransom or not.

This could either be a simple scam, or a disgruntled former employee taking revenge upon their former employers. However, it could be something more.

Lazarus Group, a North Korean state-sponsored threat actor, is known in the cybersecurity community for its “fake job” attacks. Usually, they would set up a fake job ad on social media and try to “hire” software developers working in high-profile organizations. During the interview process, they would trick the candidate into installing malware, gaining access to their company’s IT infrastructure.

The attack works both ways, too, since the crooks were seen targeting organizations directly, by trying to get hired. Lazarus apparently goes for people’s cryptocurrency and uses the money to fund the state’s weapons program.

Via BBC

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This week, we cover the latest hardware using voice controls and generative AI, including a collar that lets you chat with your pets. Also, this podcast is changing shape, and we tell you all about it.

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro might be the best cheap fitness tracker on the market, but a new patent has revealed the company may also be working on a smart ring that could come with a breakthrough new feature.

The market is currently the domain of giants like Oura and Samsung, whose Galaxy Ring and Oura Ring 4 make up the best smart ring options right now.

Every smart ring today comes in various different sizes, and you usually need to buy a sizing kit to get the right fit. But this annoying and time-consuming process could soon be a thing of the past if Xiaomi's new patent is anything to go by.

As spotted by 91Mobiles, the patent, filed in China, reveals that Xiaomi is working on a smart ring with an auto-adjustable design. It features an elastic component and a spring mechanism that allows the ring to adjust its size automatically.

One smart ring (size) to rule them all?

(Image credit: Oura)

If Xiaomi has indeed cracked a one-size-fits-all smart ring, it could be a massive shakeup for the industry. Not only would it reduce the time and cost involved in choosing the right size of a smart ring, but as the report notes it could pave the way for a ring that can be worn on any finger or can be shared by more than one person.

Behind the scenes, such a smart ring would also be cheaper to manufacture and replace in case of issues, possibly reducing the price for consumers.

This ground-breaking advance aside, Xiaomi's smart ring includes support for Wi-Fi, 5G, and an array of sensors including a gyroscope and temperature. Interestingly, there are also references to a speaker module, a microphone, and a touch panel built into the ring. As the report notes, there are hints too of using the ring to control smartphone features like a camera, suggesting that this could be a companion device like an Apple Watch.

A patent is of course just an idea committed to paper, and not hard evidence of Xiaomi's upcoming product plans. But it's safe to say that the company is definitely looking hard into smart rings.

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Apple’s MacBook Pro models with the M4 chip are at this point strongly rumored for an imminent launch, and another piece of evidence has surfaced to reinforce this idea.

This is chatter from the supply chain disclosed by DigiTimes (in report about the notebook market in general, flagged up by MacRumors).

DigiTimes informs us: “Apple is expected to unveil new MacBook Pro models equipped with the latest M4 chip in October, which could boost related component shipments. This trend is evident in the revenue reports from component manufacturers such as Jarllytec and Shin Zu Shing for September.”

The most recent rumors align with the late October launch mentioned here – which should mean we get the press invites being sent out by Apple very soon indeed – and this would come ahead of a November 1 on-sale date, theoretically.

If the info from the grapevine is correct, we can expect MacBook Pro, Mac mini and iMac models with M4 chips to be launched at the end of the month. Next year, it’ll be the turn of the MacBook Air to get an M4 makeover, plus the Mac Pro and Mac Studio – in theory, anyway.

(Image credit: Future) Analysis: A veritable avalanche of leaks

Who are the companies mentioned in this most recent supply chain leak, then? Jarllytec is a Taiwan-based outfit that makes notebook hinge mechanisms (fancy ones), and has supplied for MacBooks before (for a long time in fact). Shin Zu Shing also provides components for Apple’s laptops (and reportedly recently benefited from a shift in Apple’s ordering where the firm ditched a previous supplier).

So, apparently the respective revenue sheets for those companies make for some telling hints regarding the imminent arrival of MacBook Pro M4 models, presumably due to beefy shipments of various related components.

There are plenty of other signs that a MacBook Pro launch is imminent, including a rather staggering flood of M4 MacBook Pro leaks which include a whole bunch of spilled pictures and videos and even a report of the laptop being sold already on the black market. Also, current stock levels of the MacBook Pro (and other Macs) are reportedly ebbing away, as you’d expect just before the release of new models.

At this point, it’d be a serious surprise – a shock even – if the next-gen MacBook Pro didn’t turn up. After all, this is the device that’s been a lot more heavily rumored than the other M4 Macs Apple is expected to launch later in October. The not-so-great news for MacBook Pro fans is that not that many changes are expected in the new take on Apple’s laptop, aside from the addition of the M4 SoC, that is.

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Getting your hand son the brand-new DJI Air 3S – which we gave four-and-a-half-stars in our DJI Air 3S review – might be trickier than anticipated as the company is having issues importing its latest drone to the US. For the time being, it might only be possible to purchase the drone from DJI.com directly, not through any third-party stores.

This isn’t anything to do with the ban bill which passed in the US House of Representatives earlier this year. Instead, DJI claims it’s because the Department of Homeland Security incorrectly believes the drones were produced in forced labor camps and is blocking the drones using the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (via The Verge)

In a letter it sent to distributors – which has been shared on social media – DJI refutes these accusations stating “DJI strongly affirms that no forced labor is involved at any stage of our manufacturing process.

“Our company does not and has never operated manufacturing facilities in the Xinjiang province of China, nor do we obtain any materials from that region. All of our manufacturing is based in Shenzhen, where our company is headquartered, or Malaysia.”

Following up with a post on its official blog DJI says it has all of the evidence it needs to clean up this “misunderstanding” and prove it doesn’t make its drones in the Xinjiang region of China.

Until the issue is resolved however it’ll be harder for US businesses to get their hands on DJI’s enterprise and agricultural drones, as well as regular folks from snagging the DJI Air 3S – at least from retailers other than DJI itself.

(Image credit: DJI) The first ban of many?

Even if this existing issue is resolved, DJI’s future in the US will remain uncertain.

The wider US import ban is still looming, and while it has yet to pass through the Senate it feels like it may be a matter of when, and not if, unless there’s a major attitude shift in the US government.

Though the ban looks set to only affect imports as it is currently written, so if a DJI drone catches your eye, you should still consider grabbing it – as already-approved models won’t be permanently grounded even if a ban does pass.

So take this DJI Air 3S issue as a taste of what’s unfortunately likely to come in the coming months and years from the world's best drone manufacturer.

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A new report jointly created by MIT Technology Review Insights and data company Snowflake has confirmed that many businesses are simply failing to harness the power of artificial intelligence.

As many as four in five (78%) organizations are unable to fully capitalize on their AI investments according to the study, largely due to inadequate data management.

Data governance, security and privacy concerns emerged as the top challenge (59%), followed closely by data quality and timeliness (53%) and the costs associated with AI resources (48%), highlighting the need for a simpler and clearer foundation.

Data is preventing companies from realizing AI’s benefits

It’s clear that there are challenges between initial investments and tangible rewards, but companies still appear to be optimistic. Nearly three-quarters (72%) agree that AI would boost efficiency and productivity, with around half believing it will enhance market competitiveness (55%). However almost all (95%) reported facing hurdles when implementing AI.

While more than half (53%) of business leaders describing themselves as ‘somewhat ready’ for artificial intelligence and everything that it entails, only one in five (22%) state that they are ‘very ready,’ signifying that they have fewer challenges related to accessing scalable computing power, data silos and integration issues, and data governance.

Speaking about the “big ambitions” that companies have surrounding GenAI, Snowflake Head of AI Baris Gultekin said: “A strong data foundation is at the core of generative AI capabilities, and business leaders need to move quickly to deal with concerns such as data security and cost, and establish the foundation they need to deliver on the promise of AI.”

Moving forward, the report calls for modern cloud data platforms that allow companies to better manage and access vast amounts of unstructured data.

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Polar, makers of some of the best heart rate monitors and best running watches, experienced a cybersecurity attack this week. On 11 October, Polar posted a statement on the “updates” section of its website, informing users and customers that it was subject to ‘various levels of disruption’, and has shut down the login and signup pages as a result.

If you’re a Polar user, you might be worried your sensitive health data is at risk, but speaking to TechRadar, Polar says your data ‘has not been compromised’.

On its website, Polar states: “Polar’s online store in the United States has been subjected to various levels of disruption, resulting in the suspected compromise of individual users’ order information… According to preliminary information, only a few customers' account details have been accessed."

Polar went on to state: “The data breach has affected only a small portion of customers in Polar’s US online store. The breach does not apply to any other customer data stored by Polar. We want to emphasize that the data of Polar Flow users has not been compromised during the attack.” Polar echoed these sentiments in a statement made to TechRadar after we reached out for comment.

Polar emphasizes that users don’t need to do anything at this stage, although if you want to buy anything on the Polar website, you’ll have to do so from a guest account.

(Image credit: Sora Shimazaki / Pexels) Analysis: Health data makes a tempting target

While in this instance, Polar states that order information rather than personal health data was compromised, Polar Flow makes a tempting target. Health data is incredibly valuable to hackers, advertisers, and even certain governments due to its intensely personal nature: imagine taking your medical records and GPS location, and giving that information to known criminals to sell to invasive advertising services and identity thieves.

Polar was at the center of a data leaking scandal back in 2018 due to flaws in user privacy settings, but things have tightened up since then. Garmin has also experienced its own cybersecurity problems, as Russian hacking group Evil Corp attacked Garmin in 2020, taking its services offline for more than three days.

How to protect your data

In this day and age, it’s hard not to put our trust in placing everything online. As TechRadar’s Senior Fitness and Wearables Editor, it’s my job to test the latest data-harvesting health gadgets: my information is probably scattered over a dozen different databases. So how can you protect yourself?

Generally, if you’re still receiving value from a service like Strava or Fitbit Premium, you have to continue supplying the service with your health data. It’s worth taking a look at fitness tracker privacy policies if you’re concerned about it, which should list if the data is shared with any third parties. If you’ve left data on a service you no longer use, and want to minimize the risk of being involved in a data breach, you may be able to ask the company to delete the data it has on you.

In the US, whether you have a right to delete data depends on what state you live in: according to the personal information removal service DeleteMe, there are only 12 US states with comprehensive privacy laws. In the UK, things are a bit simpler: you can use the Information Commissioner’s Office guidelines to withdraw consent to use your personal data in writing. Australians will also find it difficult to get their data removed, although the government has previously mooted enshrining a “right to be forgotten” into Australian law.

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